WSS: Game Coming Up Next Week

 I've started putting together a battle for next week. The following introduction is shamelessly cribbed from my email to Stryker today - apologies, Ian - I can only think about anything once a day.

The scenario is influenced (a bit) by the Battle of Neerwinden 1693 (aka Landen), though it is 10 years later (and therefore has no pikes), and is not (of course) the Battle of Neerwinden - it is much smaller, for a start.

An Allied army (Anglo-Hessian, this time) is in an area near to a small (but interesting) fortress, to protect it from the attentions of the French. As it happens, the French have decided to clear out this protecting army, and have sent a larger force to deal with them. The Allied commander has opted to stay in the area, and his men have been busy digging some earthworks to strengthen their position. 

The earthworks are not that formidable - if someone is defending them then they will be a nuisance, but if there is no-one there they can be walked through - even by cavalry. 

On the edge of the table is the citadel, which is really just a bit of extra scenic interest, and is pretty much off limits, since the French do not have their Siege Train with them (this time, though the intention is to come back with the siege train once they've cleared the defending force out of the area). The (Dutch) garrison is small (about 2 battalions) and cannot be attacked, and is not available to the Allied side as a reinforcement - also the Allied troops cannot enter the fortress; it  does, however, have a few mortars available which can provide a bit of supporting fire for the Allies. Mortars have a long range, but are prone to misfires, which might just mean that the shells don't detonate, but could also mean that the mortar suffers damage right up to a complete write-off (if the shell explodes in the barrel, for example). The self-igniting shell is still some years in the future. The French army is quite a bit bigger than the Allied, and they have 5 brigade cubes to the Allies' 3 (probably). The mortars in the fort are not a brigade, but may be activated along with any of the Allied brigades (only once a turn, obviously).

There will be a preliminary artillery exchange - haven't had one for a while. 

I'll probably make another post once the soldiers arrive.

 

 

My old ECO plastic Ritterburg looms on the table edge - mostly to add a bit of visual interest, but the defending side will be able to call on a few of the fortress's guns for support

 

 

The defending side has put in many hours of spadework, which I am sure they hated, but they may gain some benefit from the time spent

 

 

Haven't yet decided which general will command which army. We do know there will be some bonus victory points if the French take any of the villages. Residents should probably check their property insurance policies